The Gift of Friendship
by FaithInHim4ever
Summary: Takes place near the end of"Psalm 151." Celine and Petey spend some precious time together. R/R


DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own the characters from TBAA

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own the characters from TBAA. They belong to CBS.

Enjoy!

God loves you!

A/N: This story just came to me after watching "Psalm 151" this afternoon. This takes place shortly before "Salm 151" ends. Also, I'm using their Celine, not my OC of Celine Rose for this story.

"The Gift of Friendship"

Ten year old Celine aka Cornelia Casey's blue eyes opened slightly as she felt someone nudging her gently. She recognized the voice trying to wake her up, but a part of her didn't want to obey.

Unfortunately, her blue eyes opened and she sat up reluctantly.

"Wha-what's going on?" She asked as her blue eyes landed first on Petey and then his mother, Audrey.

Audrey smiled down at the two children, her eyes lingering on Petey for an extra second.

"You can cross off number five." Audrey replied, directing her answer at Petey.

Celine grinned as realization hit.

"She did it, Petey! She finished the song!"

The little girl's excitement was contagious. Petey's brown eyes lit up for the first time in the last few days.

"You really finished it, Mom?" He asked, not daring to believe her words.

Audrey nodded.

"But…but how?" He wondered.

Audrey smiled, despite the few tears that had made their way into her eyes.

"Monica had a talk with me." She said, remembering the late night revelation she had experienced.

Petey nodded. But it wasn't he who spoke next.

"I knew she could do it!" Celine cheered. With that, she jumped out of bed, all traces of sleep gone.

Audrey laughed, despite the situation. Celine was rather cute.

"All right you two, it's time." She said, preparing to help Petey outside.

"Time for what?" Petey asked, still a little out of it.

Audrey smiled.

"It's time for you to hear the finished product."

Petey smiled slightly at this prospect.

Sensing that Petey and Audrey needed a few minutes alone, Celine made herself scarce. She needed some time alone as well.

Once out of earshot of her best friend and his mother, Celine found herself in the family room where the piano was located.

Sitting upon the bench, the little girl gazed out the window. As she caught sight of the flagpole, she broke down.

Heart wrenching sobs racked her small form, making her body shake.

Tess and Monica watched, unseen for the moment.

"The poor wee girl." Monica said, her own eyes welling up.

Tess put a hand on Monica's shoulder and drew her in for a hug.

"That sweet baby's held her feelings in for far too long. They had to come out sometime."

"But why Tess?" The Irish angel inquired. "Why has Celine held them in all this time? The only time she cried was with you when the letter came from the insurance company."

Tess sighed, still observing Celine. The little girl had her face buried in her hands, the tears still coming thick and fast.

"Well, baby, sometimes children are so selfless, they hide how they're really feeling to protect those they love. In this case, Celine has hid her feelings to protect Petey."

"Which one of us is goin' to help her?" Monica asked. "We can't leave her alone, not at a time like this. It's too soon."

Tess sighed.

"I agree." With that, Tess became visible and approached the sobbing child.

Monica wanted to call out to her, but she refrained from doing so. She knew Celine needed her now.

"Celine?" Tess asked softly. She was standing in front of the little girl, her brown eyes full of sympathy and concern. "Come here, baby."

Without a word, Celine threw herself into the angel's arms, her sobs growing louder as Tess wrapped her in a secure hug.

Finally, Celine spoke. Her voice was full of distress and pain.

"He's gonna die! I'm gonna lose my best friend! It's not fair! Now that A-Aunt Audrey finished the song…Petey's gonna…" Her voice trailed off as another sob escaped her lips.

"I know, baby, I know. It's all right, sweetheart. It's all right. You need to let it out, Celine. Just cry it out, baby. Tess is here now. I gotcha, baby…."

"I-I can't!" Celine replied. She tried in vein to stop crying, but it was no use.

"Why not?" Tess asked gently.

"Ba-because I have to be strong for… I have to be sta-strong for Petey!" She replied, swallowing hard in the process.

"Celine, baby, listen to o'l Tess. I want you to listen to me real good."

Celine nodded as she let out another sob.

"Thatta girl. Now, it's true that you need to be strong for Petey. But you're allowed to feel sad and afraid too. You're allowed to cry. You're allowed to be angry." She explained. "Do you feel angry, sweetheart?"

"No!" Celine replied tearfully.

"How do you feel?" The wise angel inquired.

"I'm sad I'm losing my best friend!" Celine answered. "I'm scared that I'll forget him! I just feel bad!"

"And that's okay." Tess assured her. "That's perfectly okay."

Celine shook her head. Her peach colored cheeks were tear stained with more tears to come.

"I can't let Petey see me cry!" She explained.

"Why not?" Tess asked.

"Ba-because he'll feel guilty about being sick and going to Heaven and I don't want him to! It's not his fault!" A heart wrenching sob escaped the young girl's lips just then. "Tess, I-I'm gonna miss him so much!"

"I know you are, baby. I know. And God knows it too. HE loves you so much, Celine."

"If God loves me," Celine said, her voice full of confusion and sadness, "why is He taking Petey away from me!"

Tess sighed. This part was goin' to be hard, but she had to do it. She had to help Celine understand.

"Celine, God isn't taking Petey away from you." Tess tried. "He didn't make Petey sick. He loves Petey as much as He loves you. Do you remember when you were seven and you fell out of that tree and broke your arm?"

Celine gasped.

"Ha-how'd you know about that?" She asked, taken aback.

Tess ignored her question and continued her explanation.

"Do you remember that?"

Celine nodded.

"Yes."

"And do you remember how much it hurt?"

"I cried a lot. But the doctor's made me feel better. I prayed, asking God to help me."

"And He did."

"I prayed for Him to help Petey too, but He didn't hear me!"

"Yes He did." Tess replied, hugging the child close. "Celine, God heard you. He listened and He answered your prayer."

"How do you know?" Celine asked, calming down for the time being.

Before Tess could answer, Audrey came into the room.

"Oh I'm sorry," she said, noticing Celine in Tess's lap. "Was I interrupting anything?"

Tess shook her head.

"Not at all, baby. What do you need?"

"Actually, it's Petey who needs or wants something."

"Just name it." Tess said, earnestly.

Audrey shook her head as her gaze landed on Celine.

"He wants to talk to you before I perform the song for everyone." She explained.

"Me?" Celine asked, taken aback. "Why does Petey want to talk to me?"

Audrey shrugged.

"You'll have to ask him"

Celine nodded. She got off Tess's lap reluctantly. She could feel her body start to shake again from nervousness. This was it. There was no turning back now.

Seeing the little girl's fear, Tess reached out and squeezed her shoulder gently.

"You can do this. With God on your side, you can do anything."

Celine nodded. She took a deep breath and made her way to Petey's bedroom.

Audrey and Tess watched the little girl go, both of them exchanged worried glances with one another.

Finally, Tess broke the silence.

"Celine will be fine." She assured her friend. She then got a closer look at the young woman in front of her. "How about you, baby? How are you holding up?"

Audrey sighed. She knew this was coming and she also knew she couldn't hide from her feelings anymore. She had broken down the night before when Monica had revealed herself to her, but she knew that wasn't the end of her emotional roller coaster.

"As well as could be expected." Audrey answered, truthfully.

Tess nodded in understanding.

Meanwhile, Celine stood inside Petey's doorway, not sure what to do. She had walked through this door so many times before for the past six years and she couldn't imagine coming in and not seeing him there.

Petey glanced up at the sound of shuffling in the doorway. Upon seeing that it was Celine, he managed a small smile for his best friend.

"Hey." He said before starting to cough a little.

"Hi." Celine answered, timidly. "Your Mom said you wanted to talk to me."

Petey nodded. He didn't understand why Celine was suddenly acting so strange around him. She had been fine up until this morning. What had changed between then and now?

As the coughing started up again, Celine rushed to his side immediately. She couldn't bear to see him in pain. She pounded gently but firmly on his back until the coughing ceased.

"Thanks," he said, gratefully.

Celine smiled shyly.

"It's okay." She said. "I couldn't just stand there and do nothing while you're in trouble. That's not what best friends do for each other."

Petey nodded. He indicated the spot next to him, but Celine obligated to remain standing.

"Celine?" Petey asked, unsure of the answer he would receive. "Are you mad at me?"

This question plunged into Celine's heart like a knife. She wasn't sure why, but she felt the urge to leave the room at that point. She wanted to be anywhere but there.

"Celine?" Petey asked, thinking she hadn't heard him before.

"No." Celine replied, truthfully.

"Then why are you acting this way?" The young boy inquired.

"Acting what way?" The young girl asked. She was playing dumb in hopes that she wouldn't have to tell him how she was really feeling.

Petey heaved a frustrated sigh.

"Don't play dumb." He begged softly. "You know what I mean. You've been avoiding me ever since my Mom told us she finished the song."

"No I haven't." Celine retorted, even though she knew in her heart that Petey's words were true.

"Yes you have." He insisted. "At first I thought you wanted to give us some time alone, but then when you didn't come back, I knew something was wrong. Come on, Cel. We tell each other everything. What's wrong?"

"I-I can't tell you." Celine said. Her voice was as soft as a newborn kitten's meow.

"Why?" Petey asked, wanting to help her feel better.

"Because you'll hate me, that's why!" Celine exclaimed. The tears that she had been tryin' to hold back nearly burst forth.

Petey was taken aback by his best friend's words.

"I could never hate you." The young boy assured her. "You're my best friend."

Celine had turned her back on him at this point. She was trying so hard not to cry, it was starting to hurt her physically.

"Celine?" Came a gentle Irish lilt from just in front of the young girl. "You need to tell Petey the truth."

Celine jumped, but relaxed when she saw that it was Monica.

"Monica, you scared me!" Celine yelped in surprise.

"I'm sorry." Monica apologized sincerely. "But you must tell Petey the truth. He deserves to know."

"Know what?" Petey asked. HE was feeling left out at this point and he didn't like it.

Celine took a deep breath before turning around to face her friend.

In the instant their eyes locked, she couldn't hold the tears back any longer. They burst forth, streaming over her peach cheeks like a smoothe spring shower.

"It's okay, Celine." Monica assured the young girl. "It's okay to be sad. But you have to tell him."

Celine nodded as she let out a sob. Monica was right and she knew it.

Realizing Celine was upset, Petey held his arms out to his best friend. He only showed physical affection and physical comfort to two people in his life and one of them was in desperate need of it now.

Seeing her friend's arms open, Celine hesitated before taking the plunge. She didn't feel Monica guide her over to the bed or help her sit down. All the little girl felt were her best friend's arms securing her in a hug full of unconditional love and compassion.

A few minutes of silence passed. It was broken by the birds outside and Celine's sobs.

"Talk to me." Petey implored. "Please."

"I'm gonna miss you!" Celine admitted tearfully. "I'm gonna miss you so much! When your Ma-Mom woke us up and told us she finished the song, it hit me for the first time that you're leaving me! You're gonna die and I'll be all alone!"

"No you won't." Monica assured her. She had been silent up until this point. "You're never alone, Celine. God is always with you."

Celine nodded to show Monica she had heard her.

"And I'll watch over you too." Petey assured his friend. "Even though I won't be here anymore, I'll be in here." He pointed to Celine's heart before embracing her again.

"It won't be the same!" Celine cried, trying to calm down. "Who will I tell my secrets to? Who will I try out my new songs for when my parents are too busy to listen to them?"

"I'll still listen to you." The young boy promised. "I'll always listen to you. And when you think you can't talk to anyone else, you can always talk to me. I'm always here for you."

"Promise?" Celine asked.

"I promise." Petey said.

Monica had left the room by now. She wanted to give the two best friends a few minutes alone. She knew their time together was precious and growing shorter.

"There's something I want to give you." Petey told her. He reached over on his dresser and pulled a teddy bear down. "I know you won him for me that time we went to the fair in third grade, but I want you to have him."

Celine tried to smile through her remaining tears. She took the bear and hugged it to her chest before another set of tears came.

"I wish I had something for you." She said, feeling embarrassed.

Petey shook his head.

"You already gave me the best gift of all." He told her honestly.

"What's that?" Celine asked, not sure where her best friend was going with this train of thought.

"Your friendship." He answered.

That did it. Celine broke down again. She let the tears fall as she felt Petey pull her in for another hug. She was going to miss him terribly. Even so, Celine knew deep down in her heart that God would keep Petey safe. And like Petey had told her, he would watch over her from Heaven. Celine knew that no matter what happened, they would be friends forever. Their friendship would be the one memory that Celine would treasure forever. It would also be the one memory neither one would forget.

Celine smiled slightly as she followed Petey outside fifteen minutes later.

"Best friends?" She asked, leaning over to whisper in his ear.

"Best friends forever." He promised, giving her a thumbs up. "Best friends forever."

THE END


End file.
